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Koldunic Sorcery
Koldunic Sorcery or Koldunism is a form of Cainite blood magic practiced by the Tzimisce. Overview Koldunic Sorcery is similar to Thaumaturgy in idea but very different in practice. Major differences include Koldunic Sorcery requiring the service of the spirits of nature rather than memorized rites and rituals, Koldunism tending to be much more subtle than Thaumaturgy at lower levels, and Koldunism requiring not so much an extension of will as being a master of the very material a Fiend wishes to manipulate. No vampire is embraced into Koldunism. Koldunic sorcery is always learned as an out-of-clan discipline. Despite being considered a form of Blood Magic it generally requires no expenditure of blood by the caster. The ancient Tzimisce who cultivated this power knew the difficulties of hunting in their territories and thus instead invoke their powers through enslaving the spirits of the land. Practitioners of Koldunic Sorcery are known as koldun and are almost exclusively Old Clan Tzimisce. Many "regular" Tzimisce are unable to practice Koldunism, having turned away from the spirituality and perfection this form of sorcery requires to master. However, Koldunic Sorcery is by no means "good"; constant use will cause the very land and earth to eventually warp around the user. It is hinted that Koldunic Sorcery is made possible through the Tzimisce connection with the earth demon Kupala, who helped drive the Garou away from the Carpathians and allowed the Fiends to establish the area as their homeland. The older form of Koldunic Sorcery practiced specific krainas instead of Paths. While Paths are standardized, each kraina is unique to the domain the koldun claims as his own and it often takes decades for the aspiring koldun before he has a bond with his domain close enough to properly use his primary kraina. During Kupala's Eve, some Tzimisce abandoned this form as weak and inefficient and instead turned to Kupala, who twisted the krainas into the elemental paths used in the Modern Nights. Only a handful of Tzimisce Elders still practices the old form, most of them in allegiance with the Tal'Mahe'Ra. Some have begun to instruct members of the Order of Moloch into the old art. Standard Paths and Abilities There are five primary paths of Koldunic Sorcery: Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Spirit. Lesser paths, such as the Way of Sorrow, do exist, but are rarely followed and are usually specialized extensions of the five primary paths. Way of Earth * Grasping Soil - A koldun can use dirt to immobilize a target. * Endurance of Stone - A koldun can harden their flesh to the consistency of stone. * Hungry Earth - A koldun can drag a target completely underground, smothering them. * Root of Vitality - Similar to Hungry Earth, except the target is now able to breathe underground and can be healed. * Kupala's Fury - A koldun calls on Kupala to create a powerful earthquake. Way of Wind * Breath of Whispers - A koldun uses the wind to communicate with a target over long distances. * Biting Gale - A koldun creates frigid winds that slow or freeze a target. * Breeze of Lethargy - A koldun summons winds that bring exhaustion. * Ride the Tempest - A koldun can ride the winds at incredible speeds to any destination. * Fury of the Night Sky - A koldun may project the full measure of his anger into the night sky. Churning gray clouds blot out stars and moon, unleashing spiraling gusts and a driving downpour of freezing rain. Lightning arcs overhead, each thunderous flash casting jagged shadows. Way of Water * Pool of Lies - A koldun creates detailed illusions on the water's surface. * Watery Haven - A koldun may merge with water to protect themselves from the sun and foes, much as those who use Protean can merge with earth. * Fog Over Sea - A koldun can walk on water. * Minions of the Deep - A koldun summons water elementals to do his bidding. * Doom Tide - A koldun creates a massive whirlpool that can sink ships and drag targets to the depths. Way of Fire * ** Fiery Courage - A koldun permanently diminishes the difficulty to resist Rötschreck regarding fire. ** Combust '' - A ''koldun ''causes a target to spontaneously combust. * ** ''Combust - A koldun causes a target to spontaneously combust. ** Magma Surge - A koldun causes magma to bubble up to the surface. * ** Wall of Magma - A koldun summons magma from deep beneath the earth to protect themselves. * ** Heat Wave - A koldun creates a blistering wind that can kill a target. * ** Volcanic Blast - A koldun can create a volcanic geyser to erupt anywhere within their sight. Way of Spirit This way may expressly exceed a rating of 5, but no distinct powers exist for each level of the Way of Spirit. Instead of levels of ability, a koldun extends their spiritual awareness over a larger area the more powerful they become on this path - once a koldun extends his senses with this path perceiving everything in the vicinity (even obfuscated Cainites). * 50 feet/15 meters radius of effect * 100 yards/90 meters radius of effect * Quarter-mile/half kilometer radius of effect * 1 mile/1.5-kilometer radius of effect * 5 miles/8 kilometer radius of effect * Radius of effect increases 10 miles per dot over level 5 Within this territory, the koldun sees, hears, smells and even tastes everything at once. As with Auspex, the mystical senses conferred by the Way of Spirit may confound Obfuscate and other forms of illusion or concealment. Additionally, he may evoke powers of other Koldunic Sorcery paths anywhere within this territory. However, no power may be used in this fashion if that power's level exceeds the vampire’s rating in the Way of Spirit. Elder koldun who achieve such an inhuman power grow detached from individual people and events that do not concern their domains as a whole. Way of Sorrow * The Frustrations of Nestretcha - A koldun makes it so that the target can not use willpower for successes or to use them for disciplines. This last for turns equal to the koldun's successes. * The Insults of Krivda - A koldun causes a target to fly into an uncontrollable rage and target the koldun. * The Weeping of Kruchina - A koldun causes a target to cry uncontrollably in intense misery. * The Misfortune of Chernogolov - A koldun makes it so that the target loses two successes on every roll. This last for turns equal to the koldun's successes. * The Starvation of Marena - A koldun can create a frosty gale that blast the victim and leaves him emaciated as if he had just survived the coldest of winters. Krainas Upon earning their first dot in Koldunic Sorcery, the koldun learns the first power associated with their primary kraina. With each new dot, they may take the next power in a kraina they already know, or learn the first power in a new kraina. Regardless, it will always be easier for them to use magic from their primary kraina. Practitioners of Krainas tend to become suspicious and protective of their knowledge. When confronted with a rival or a Kraina they do not recognize, the magic inherent to this form compels them to attack the intruder. For this reason, most koldun prefer isolation and almost never share knowledge except with their own childer. Transylvanian Kraina Koldun of the Transylvania region practice the following magics. * Burebista's Throne - the koldun can send his senses soaring high into the air, or extend them beyond their body; * Pietrosu's Hospitality - a powerful, frigid wind arises all around the koldun, but also makes him immune to cold and the force of winds; * The Banks of The Basca - bolsters the flow of running water, causing it to swell and surge forward creating a flash flood with magical life; * Kupala's Exhalation - summons deadly cold (but highly flammable) gasses from the ground (that they claim to be the breath of Kupala himself). * Restless Medias - by exercising his willpower, the koldun may create an earthquake. Black Sea Kraina Koldun of the Black Sea region practice these rites. * Danubian Voices - invokes a river spirit that can converse with the koldun, sharing whatever they know, or act as a messenger; * Grave of the Marea Neagra - imbues a body of water with protective properties against sunlight, natural deterioration and detection; * Pontos Euxeinos - the koldun may submerge into a large enough body of water to heal his wounds; * Minions of Deep Marmora - splashing his blood upon the surface of water, the koldun may invoke strange humanoid creatures, combining the features of frog and fish to perform one task for him. * Pontos Axeinos - dripping his blood into a large body of water, the koldun may manifest storms, whirlpools, fogs, and rocky barricades where there were none moments before. Białowieza Kraina Koldun of the Białowieża Forest practice these rites. * Domain Breach - The koldun becomes immediately aware if an intruder sets foot on their domain. * Fingers of Białowieża - The koldun commands plants to ensnare and obstruct intruders. * Grondrska's Impasse - The koldun manipulates the vegetation to change ways through the forest. * Mouth of Djabalek - The koldun can trap victims underground and drain their blood. * The White Tower - Creates a white Tower made from bone to act as a personal, mobile Haven within the koldun's domain. Kraina of the Well Koldun with a tie to an organ pit or a similar desecrated space practice these rites. * Call the Children - summons demons whose power is dependent on the level of the kraina. The demon has no physical body and cannot exist outside a ritually prepared space. * Heed the Hell-bound Heart - allows the koldun to sense any trace of demonic influence by drinking from his well. * Aegis Alighieri - shields the koldun from attacks through demonic entities through the use of an amulet soaked in his own blood. * Heave the Host of Hell - dispels any traces of the infernal within the koldun's domain. * Reap the Well - allows the koldun to enslave a demonic entity. Kraina of Enoch Koldun who were Embraced in the ruins of the First City within the Underworld practice these rites. * Shroud of Oblivion - shedding his own skin, the koldun may cloak himself into a portable piece of the Shroud, lessening the dangers of sunlight. * Spectral Cloak - hides the koldun within the Shadowlands, making him invisible for those who cannot see ghosts. * Pond of Malevolent Dread - eviscerating himself, the koldun may channel the depths of the Sea of Shadows into a ring of wailing spectres to grasp at anyone in their reach. * Wrath of the Tempest - allows the koldun to bring a piece of the Tempest into living world, conjuring a violent storm that throws anyone trapped within into a Harrowing. * Hunger of the Void - by pulling out his own soul and tormenting it relentlessly, the koldun transforms it into a Nihil that sucks everything in its vicinity into it. 'Genius Loci' The Genius Loci is the precursor of the Way of Spirit among those koldun that practiced krainas. It is prized because it greatly expands the koldun's power, but none have it as their primary path. With this path, the koldun extends his awareness through the land upon which he treads, becoming the Genius Loci of legend. While in effect, the koldun is aware of everything that transpires around him, out to a distance determined by dots in Genius Loci (see below). Even Obfuscate cannot deceive the Tzimisce who has established himself as a Genius Loci. Furthermore, the koldun may invoke any koldunic power he possesses anywhere he can perceive, so long as the level of that power is equal to or less than dots in his Genius Loci ability. * Perceive everything within a fifty-foot/fifteen-meter radius. * Perceive everything within a hundred-yard/ninety-meter radius. * Perceive everything within a quarter-mile/half kilometer radius. * Perceive everything within a one-mile/1.5-kilometer radius. * Perceive everything within a five-mile/eight-kilometer radius. Rituals References * * * * * * * Category: Blood Magic (VTM) Category:Discipline (VTM) Category:Trademark Blood Magic (VTM)